Viva Guadalajara: Exploring Mexico’s Culinary Frontier

Dive into Guadalajara’s flavors—indulge in birria, local breakfasts, and cantina cocktails. Discover mariachi roots and admire stunning architecture on this immersive full-day tour.

• Taste traditional regional breakfast dishes
• Try authentic birria
• Admire a neo-Gothic 19th-century church
• Stroll through a park designed by Luis Barragán

Guadalajara is the home of so many of Mexico’s emblematic traditions: mariachi music has its roots in the city, and the state of which it is the capital, Jalisco, is the birthplace of tequila, birria, and so many other regional culinary treasures.There’s no doubt about it: Tapatíos, as the locals are known, will tell you that some of Mexico’s best eats can be found in Guadalajara. On this full-day tour, we’ll explore Guadalajara’s past and present, art and architecture, and influences old and new through the many dishes and drinks the city has to offer. From smoky street stands to music-filled cantinas, the energy – and flavor – in Guadalajara is undeniable.

Our day will start in the epicenter of Guadalajara’s flourishing creative community, the eclectic Americana neighborhood, where we’ll stop by a beloved cafe for some of their freshly-baked breakfast pastries. From there, we’ll make our way to another local favorite, a restaurant run by a woman chef who’s made it her mission to revive recipes and culinary traditions from the surrounding Jalisco region. Here we’ll have some classic regional breakfast dishes that reflect the variety of climates found in Jalisco. We’ll taste more of the region’s – and Mexico’s – unique flavors at our next stop, a small shop that sources some of the finest chocolate throughout the country, flavored with everything from chipotle chiles to grasshoppers. Taking in Guadalajara’s cultural riches, we’ll visit a 19th-century neo-Gothic church that’s considered one of Mexico architectural gems and then at a nearby museum admire stunning murals painted by Jose Clemente Orozco, a revered Guadalajara artist who was a contemporary of Diego Rivera’s. As we continue through the city’s backstreets, we’ll stop at a small fourth-generation family business for one of the most iconic Guadalajara bites: the torta ahogada. Made out of a crusty roll filled with carnitas and chicharon that’s then “drowned” in a fiery red-colored chile salsa, this torta is as delicious as it is messy. Making our way towards Guadalajara’s historic center, we’ll pass through a park designed by another celebrated local – the architect Luis Barragán – and then visit a street stand for a taste of refreshing tejuino, a slightly fermented corn-based drink topped with a scoop of lemon sorbet. From there, we’ll pay our respects at two local shrines – the Guadalajara cathedral, built in 1542, and then at an old-school restaurant thought to be the originator of another classic local dish: birria. We’ll wrap up our day at a venerable cantina for a well deserved drink (or two), accompanied by some live music and some small Guadalajara-style bar bites. By the end of our tour, it will become clear that when it comes to eating, there are no contradictions – Guadalajara is simply a food town that can’t be beat.

• Teatro Degollado, C. Degollado s/n, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
• Bosque Los Colomos, C. El Chaco 3200, Providencia, 44630 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
• Parque Revolución (Parque Rojo), Calz. del Federalismo Sur 2183, Col Americana, Americana, 44200 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
• Parque Agua Azul, Calz Independencia Sur 973, Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
• Catedral de Guadalajara, Avenida Fray Antonio Alcalde, Zona Centro, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
• Mercado Libertad - San Juan de Dios, C. Dionisio Rodríguez 52, San Juan de Dios, 44360 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
• Mercado Corona, Av. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 469, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico

Liability Waiver

By completing the reservation you acknowledge the following:

If you have food allergies, you are ultimately responsible to ensure your own health and safety. If you share information about your allergies, we can provide you with some guidance about the food purveyors on your tour, but we are not responsible for any allergic reactions that you may have. We are not responsible for any damages or losses incurred as result of acts by entities beyond our control, including but not limited to restaurants, shops, market stalls, eateries and food carts. We are not responsible for acts beyond our control, including but not limited to acts of God, act of nature, acts of war, or other unrest caused by state or non-state actors. If you are disruptive, we have the right to ask you to leave the tour without refunding you or providing you with a credit for your tour. You are aware of and responsible for all damages or losses that may arise during the course of the tour resulting from:

Risks associated with food, water or other drinks, including alcoholic beverages; physical accidents during the tour or at any of the locations visited; transportation failures; forces of nature; criminal activity; damage, loss or misplaced property; or accident or illness without means of rapid evacuation or availability of medical supplies or services. You agree that any claims that may arise will first go to arbitration and only if not resolved in that manner shall be heard in court. In both cases, grievances shall be heard in the jurisdiction of Washington, DC. You further agree to be responsible for your own welfare and property and accept any and all risks of delay, unanticipated events, inconvenience, illness, injury, emotional trauma or death. You further acknowledge that participation in Culinary Backstreets tours is based upon execution of this Liability Waiver. By completing the reservation process you release and discharge forever Culinary Backstreets, its employees, owners, affiliates, officers, directors, successors, agents, and assigns, from and against any liability arising from participating in this tour. You further agree that this release shall be legally binding upon you personally, all members of your family, all minors traveling with you, your heirs, successors, assigns, and legal representatives, to the maximum extent of the law.

I am aware that while on or traveling to or from my activity with Culinary Backstreets, I might be exposed to COVID-19 from other people, animals or objects. I assume all risk of any such contacts, including sickness, incapacity or death and agree to hold harmless Culinary Backstreets from any such developments. In addition, I recognize that the World Health Organization, U.S. Department of State as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have warnings concerning same and am choosing to travel and assume all risk myself.